The Flower sloops were exceptionally strongly built and designed for about 17.5 knots. They often exceeded that speed in practice. Their 205-ton coal load nevertheless limited their range, so speed alone did not determine how far they could operate.
Notable Point · 1:41-2:06
Speed and the limits of coal endurance
Strong construction and better-than-designed speed gave the sloops useful performance, while a 205-ton coal load constrained their range.